Missions

The mission of the Missions Team at Shiloh is to identify the human needs all around us and then encourage and involve the congregation in helping to meet those needs according to Christ’s teaching.

Christ has called each of us to reach out to those around us to offer aide and assistance wherever we can. We would like to invite all who are attending Shiloh UMC to become part of our Mission Team through volunteering for special mission opportunities throughout the year, by supporting our mission work financially through our Faith Promise giving program and by reaching out to your neighbors and family with Christ’s love.

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” -Ephesians 2:10

What is our Faith Promise Giving Program?

Each year in the spring we have a Mission Conference to celebrate all that we have accomplished in the past year, to look forward to the coming year, and to hear from those who are actively involved in mission work. At this time, we ask the congregation to prayerfully consider making a “Faith Promise” to help financially support the mission work of Shiloh. A Faith Promise is not a pledge you make to the church, but a promise you make to God. Faith is called for. You don’t necessarily know where the money is going to come from. You might rearrange priorities in your life, or the money may come in unexpected ways. This money covers “second mile giving,” or giving over and above your current giving to the Church. Even if you have not filled out a Faith Promise pledge card, we welcome your gifts that are used throughout the year to support mission work within our congregation, our community, our nation, and the world. Make out your check to Shiloh UMC and write “Faith Promise” in the note line.

The Shiloh UMC Mission’s Messenger

January 2010

The job of the Mission Committee is to identify the needs all around us and then encourage and involve the congregation in helping to meet those needs.

“And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly,
to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8

A LOOK BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS

Well, here we are in 2010 and as I look back on 2009 I am truly feeling blessed to be a part of this congregation. Being in the position that I have, I get to hear about and witness first hand the joy, comfort, and relief that your generous acts of kindness and giving have spread throughout our church, community and beyond. In a time when so many have experienced devastating changes in their lives due to the economic situation, this church family has found ways to dig deeper and give more than we have ever done before. There have been a few truly large wonderful gifts to Faith Promise, for which we are so grateful. I also know that there are many of you who have chosen to do without or have made changes in your life style or have picked up odd jobs, so that you could assist in our efforts to help those in need monetarily, physically, and spiritually. There are far too many of you to count who have volunteered your time to cut out coupons, sew school bags, pack Christmas shoeboxes, ring Salvation Army bells, go on mission trips, worked at Holiday World, and put together flood buckets to name only a few. To each of you, I give my thanks and I pray that you will experience the joy in knowing that you are helping to do God’s work in the world.

So what is in store for us for 2010? Who knows…but God? My hope is that we will continue to see an outpouring of volunteers and monetary donations. That more of you will be lead to step outside your comfort zone and take part in a mission trip or take on the responsibility of overseeing a new mission project or helping support an ongoing project. That wherever God shows us a need, there will be someone willing to step up and help fill it.

If you would like to take a more active part, consider becoming a member of our Mission Board. Please feel free to contact me at 678-3702 for more information.

Anita Murphy – Mission Chairperson

CHRISTMAS FAMLIES ENDS OUR YEAR WITH JOY

Each year we assist families who need our help at Christmas. This year the need was greater than ever but a wonderful thing happened. The hearts of the people of Shiloh were moved to respond as never before. Gifts, food, and gift cards were brought in for each family we adopted. They were wrapped, tagged and placed in groups for delivery. Each time I thought we were finished, a new stack of toys would arrive with a note, "Give these to a needy child" and the gift bags just got a little larger and they got tied off and ready for delivery. I went upstairs and guess what, another 4 bags of toys, several gift cards and checks. I was really trying to give everything away but found the more I tried the more you gave. Sure enough we had several last minute families added. Now I had new families who could use the gifts that kept piling up around me. We delivered huge bags to the families at Tri-Cap and received wonderful thank you notes for your gifts.

Now I was ready to complete the work of getting things ready for our church families who needed some extra help this year. Again we worked to get gifts and gift cards to come out just right to meet the need, we tied off the bags and got ready for delivery. Well I gave up being surprised when there were several envelopes of gift cards that came in one morning as well as more gifts. The bags got bigger. We added another family at the last minute with Mom and 4 children and I was out of gifts and money! Now what was I going to do? Within 2 hours more gift cards came in and the need was met with clothing for each child as well as toys, groceries and a gift for Mom as well. Ooops, another gift card in the mission mailbox, no problem, we had a family that certainly needed additional help with groceries who really needed the Wal-Mart card.

Each year our Christmas Outreach teaches me more about the nature of our Savior. Our Lord knows the need and meets it with abundance, always in just the right amount and in just the right time. He moves our hearts to respond to His command to love our neighbors and we receive great joy in return. This joy of giving is not in the act of purchasing a gift, although it can be great fun, the joy is in knowing we are obedient to His will for our lives. Submitted by Shelley Patterson

DUBOIS COUNTY COMMUNITY MEAL FILLS A NEED

Dubois County Community Meal ( DCCM ) Program continues to provide meals to the people who are suffering an economic downturn due to any reason. The meals are served Mondays (1-3 pm), Wednesdays (6-8 pm) and the 2nd and 4th Saturdays (10 am - 1 pm) of every month. These hours coincide with the Dubois County Food Bank hours. The meals are prepared and served at the Ozanam Building which is directly across from the Food Bank. There is no criteria or questions asked of people that come for a meal.

I will be putting together a team from Shiloh to prepare and serve a meal in the near future. If you are interested in this please call me, Myron Schmitt, at 634-1862.

RECYCLING FOR MISSIONS

The mission team at Shiloh Church is excited to announce that they have signed up with TerraCycle. TerraCycle is a company that helps non-profit organizations fund-raise by paying for empty product packaging to recycle. The funds raised in missions go toward helping many people and organizations locally and abroad. Please help us to raise money for missions by collecting and bringing in your empty packages of the products listed below. There is a drop-off location in the children’s wing or you can use the wooden collection boxes in the Narthex and the Family Life Center. Items: Scotch Tape dispensers, Capri Sun Drink Pouches, Kashi boxes and wrappers, Aveeno Tubes, Malt-O-Meal cereal bags, and Ritz Toasted Chips containers. Please make sure the items are empty and the drink pouches are in a zipped baggie.

SEWERS NEEDED

Sewing to Serve continues to meet on the 2nd Tuesday of each month in classroom 8. We are currently working on baptismal blankets and baby kits. We are planning our annual sew-a-thon, so stay tuned to the newsletter for the date. If you have questions, donations (soft flannel, thread, working sewing machines, or would like to use your ability to sew to serve others and enjoy Christian fellowship, please contact Angie Mehringer at 630- 2144 or harrisangied@hotmail.com.

OVERSEAS COUPON PROJECT

We are continuing to send coupons to our adopted base in Schweinfurt, Germany. Total value of coupons sent so far is $23,259.58. This is a total from six mailings.

Remember, you can turn in coupons up to 1-2 months expired, no longer, be sure they're cut out, and separated into food and non-food items. Please write the total value of your coupons on the outside of each envelope. This helps a whole lot. And, of course, the coupons don't have to be expired. Collection boxes are marked and sitting on the mission collection boxes in the Narthex and Family Life Center.

Keep up the good work, Shiloh Questions? Contact Diana Collins at 634-9568

DON’T FORGET OUR SOLDIERS OVERSEAS

In the rush of the Christmas season, it was easy to forget about those who are far away. Let’s see if we can concentrate in the next two months on bringing some joy to those service men and women in Afghanistan. We are collecting and sending about once a month. Items needed include personal size snack food and toiletry items (not small sample size shampoo, etc.please), hand and boot warmers (like for hunters), Thermacare heating pads, puzzle books (not puzzles), paperbacks, pens (click not capped), small notepads, small envelopes, drink mixes in single serving sizes, and others items that may be on the boards. Please mark your bags of supplies with “Soldiers” on the outside.

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS FOR EARLY DISASTER RESPONSE TEAM TRAINING

If you are interested in helping out when disaster strikes, it is important for you to be trained. Persons receiving training may go into a disaster situation after the “professionals” (firemen, policeman, etc.) have deemed the area safe enough for specialized volunteers to enter the area and assist with debris removal, chainsaw work, tarping roofs, etc. In most locales and very soon in ALL disaster situations, persons doing this type of volunteering will have to wear a badge. Upon successful completion of this 6 – 8 hour course, the ERT trainee will receive a badge that allows you and your team to respond when a disaster strikes.

Training will be held Sat. Jan. 30 at Old North United Methodist Church, 4201 Stringtown Road, Evansville, IN 47711. The time is from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Visit the church Web site (www.oldnorthumc.org) for the required sign-up sheet, under Mission Opportunities. Cost is $25 which will include a light breakfast, lunch, booklet and supplies. Our Mission Board will help pay for your training if you have a desire to go. Please contact Anita Murphy at 678-3702.

STEVE DUCETT IN TANZANIA

Many of you know that Steve DuCett has had a heart for missions for many years. Currently he is in Tanzania for two weeks providing teaching on the Bible to local pastors who have had little or no schooling. Please pray for him while he is gone and for those who will be impacted by his teaching. Also, Steve will be going back to Belarus in Feb. to do more Bible teaching for young people going into the ministry. He could use some extra financial help with this trip. If you would like to donate funds for his travel expenses, please write your check to “Shiloh UMC” and put “Faith Promise – Steve DuCett” in the memo line.

OUR FAITH PROMISE MONEY

During our April Faith Promise conference our congregation pledged to give $58,000 to go towards mission work in the world. So far you have given $55,550 of which over $36,000 has been sent out into the world to do God’s work. REMINDER: When you make a contribution to Faith Promise, please be sure that you indicate that on your giving envelope or on your check. Write checks to “Shiloh UMC” then put “Faith Promise” in the note line. IF you want your money to go to a specific cause, please write both “Faith Promise” and the name of the cause in the note line.